I Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a new method of controlling fungi and weeds, and in particular it relates to a new method of protecting turf against both fungicidal diseases and weeds infestation.
II Discussion of the Prior Art
Protection of turf has always been a difficult problem because the users of turfs are generally very demanding people who require a top quality of the turf. The severe requirements are probably due to their aesthetic needs which are far away of the classical requirements of agricultural users such as farmers, who needs are directed to production considerations which do not involve anything on the appearance of the fields.
The difficulty of protecting turf is that there are generally and simultaneously both weeds infestations and fungicidal attacks which require both herbicidal and fungicidal treatments. The problem is thus made more difficult because, generally, the herbicidal compounds are not fungicidal and the fungicidal compounds are not herbicidal. Further it is generally necessary to strongly limit the number of treatment of turf because numerous passages of treatment machines may damage the turf so that this creates a third source of problem and increase the risks of impairing the said turf to an unacceptable level.
A further problem of turf care is the control of dollar spot disease (the causal agent for this disease being Sclerotinia homeocarpa). No single fungicidal compound is able to completely control this disease which is quite specific.
A still further problem of turf care is that the pesticidal treatment should be safe and not phytotoxic for the desired turfgrass, especially for one or more of the following grasses: Agrostis stolinifera, Festuca arundinacea, Festuca rubra, Lolium perenne, Poa pratensis and Poa annua.
Treatment of crops against weed infestation by isoxazoles is known, for example from European Patent Publication Nos. 0418175, 0487357, 0527036 and 0560482. However, no indication is known that these publications that isoxazoles could meet the above cited requirements with regard to the control of turf weeds. Furthermore, there is no indication that the isoxazoles possess any fungicidal properties.
An object of the invention is therefore to provide a method of protecting turf against fungicidal diseases.
A further object of the invention is to provide a method of protecting turf which is susceptible to be infested or contaminated by dollar spot disease.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a method of control of dollar spot disease on turf.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a method of control of dollar spot disease on turf which is safe for one or more of the grass species selected from the group comprising Festuca arundinacea, Festuca rubra, Lolium perenne, Poa pratensis and Poa annua.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a method of simultaneously controlling weeds and fungal infections found in turf.
A still further object of the invention is to overcome the existing problem of turf care, especially the problems as here above explained.
Surprisingly it has been found that these problems may be overcome in whole or in part by the method of the invention.